Vented trash receptacle

ABSTRACT

A vented trash receptacle that prevents a bag filled with refuse from becoming stuck therein by releasing the vacuum that can form as the bag is being pulled therefrom. The receptacle includes an open-topped container having a bottom wall with an opening and a side wall extending upwardly from the periphery of the bottom wall. A lid is removably positioned atop the side wall. A valve is secured to the bottom wall for closing the opening in the bottom wall. The valve has an anchor that is affixed to the bottom wall remote from the opening. The valve also has a float that is flexibly tethered to the anchor. The float normally rests upon the bottom wall above the opening so as to selectively prevent the flow of air and water through the opening. The float is buoyant in water.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to receptacles with separable, flexible, or flaccid liners.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is not unusual for plastic garbage bags to become trapped by suction within trash receptacles. The bags typically conform their shapes to the interiors of the receptacles and form a tight seal. When receptacles filled with such bags are emptied by side-loading trucks employed in some municipalities: engines are typically revved, the receptacles are tipped over and, then, noisily shaken until the bags release. The resulting din is particularly annoying to nearby residents, business owners, and passersby.

Millions of trash receptacles are emptied on a daily basis.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In light of the problems associated with conventional trash receptacles, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved trash receptacle that minimizes the likelihood that a plastic trash bag will become stuck therein by releasing any vacuum that may form behind the bag as it is moved toward the open top of the receptacle.

It is another object of the invention to provide a trash receptacle of the type described that permits any water that may happen to collect therein to flow from the bottom of the receptacle yet prevent air, insects, and the like from entering the receptacle. Thus, my trash receptacle will never pose a drowning hazard to small children. My trash receptacle is safe.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide trash receptacle that is easy to clean. A user can wash the receptacle without bending over or need to dump water since water is automatically released from the receptacle. Washings of the receptacle can be more frequent, cutting down on bad odors escaping therefrom. People with bad backs are spared, too.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved features and arrangements thereof in a vented trash receptacle for the purposes described which is lightweight in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and dependable in use.

Briefly, the vented trash receptacle in accordance with this invention achieves the intended objects by featuring an open-topped container having a bottom wall with an opening and a side wall extending upwardly from the periphery of the bottom wall. A lid is removably positioned atop the side wall. A valve, having a buoyant float, selectively closes the opening in the bottom wall.

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention may be more readily described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vented trash receptacle in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top view of the vent of the trash receptacle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vent of the trash receptacle shown in a closed position.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the trash receptacle vent in an open position.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE TRASH RECEPTACLE

Referring now to the FIGS., a vented trash receptacle in accordance with the present invention is shown generally at 10. Receptacle 10 includes a container 12 having a valve 14 at its bottom and a removable lid 16 at its top. Valve 14 is normally closed, but can be opened automatically, when certain operating conditions are present, to permit the passage of air and water.

Container 12 has a capacity of about sixty to ninety gallons which is sufficient to receive one or more plastic trash bags 18 of normal size. Container 12 has a circular bottom wall 20 having a central opening 22 therein. From the periphery of bottom wall 20, a cylindrical side wall 24 extends upwardly to define an open top 26 in container 12. Lid 16 is removably positioned atop side wall 24 so as to close open top 26 and, if desired, can be attached to side wall 24 by a hinge (not shown).

Valve 14 is affixed to bottom wall 20 of container 12. Valve 14 has a float 28 that is attached to an anchor 30 by means of a resilient tether 32. Float 28 is provided with a sealing ring 34 that seats against bottom wall 20 and encircles opening 22. Float 28 also has a dome-like cap 36 that is positioned atop ring 34 to prevent the passage of fluids through ring 34. Tether 32 is joined at one of its ends to cap 36 and extends outwardly therefrom. Tether 32 is formed so as to be capable of flexing by an amount sufficient to permit the disengagement of sealing ring 34 from bottom wall 20 during conditions under which receptacle 10 is used. The top of anchor 30, having a height that is somewhat greater than that of ring 34, is joined to the end of tether 32 that is remote from cap 36. The bottom of anchor 30 is affixed by a suitable adhesive to bottom wall 20 remote from opening 22.

Valve 14 is molded as a unitary whole from natural or artificial rubber such that float 28, anchor 30 and tether 32 are joined together at the time of manufacture. The rubber material employed in the manufacture of valve 14 is highly resilient, capable of forming a good seal under normal outdoor temperatures, and is buoyant in water. To increase the buoyancy of float 14 in water 38 that can pool in the bottom of container 12, it can be formed with a hole at its center (not shown) by conventional molding processes.

The use of receptacle 10 is straightforward. First, assuming container 12 is empty and is positioned in an appropriate spot, lid 16 is lifted from side wall 24 and a filled trash bag 18 is deposited in container 12. Lid 16 is replaced upon side wall 24 until, on the scheduled pick-up day, a refuse collector removes bag 18 from container 12 for disposal.

Trash bag 18 is removed from container 12 by removing lid 16 from side wall 24 and inverting container 12. Once inverted, gravity easily pulls bag 18 from open top 26 into a truck for transport to a landfill, incinerator, or otherwise. The vacuum created in container 12 as bag 18 moves toward open top 26 in the manner of a piston temporarily draws sealing ring 34 away from bottom wall 20 and allows air to flow into container 12 through opening 22. Any suction that would otherwise hold bag 18 within container 12 is automatically eliminated by valve 14. Once the vacuum is eliminated, ring 34 reseats itself against bottom wall 20 so as to close valve 14. No shaking of container 12 is ever required to remove bag 18 from container 12.

In the event that water enters container 12 and collects upon bottom wall 20 as shown at 38, valve 14 opens to let the water out. Float 28, being buoyant, is lifted from bottom wall 20 so that water 38 can drain through opening from container 12. Once water 38 has been eliminated from container 12, valve 14 automatically closes to prevent the escape of air, which may be odoriferous, from container 12 or prevent the entry of insects into container 12.

It is worth noting that when bag 18 is positioned in container 12, it will normally press downwardly upon valve 14 thereby preventing valve 14 from opening. Nothing can pass through opening 22 in bottom wall 20 under these circumstances. Of course, nothing needs to pass through opening 22 when a bag 18 is in place since is desirable to keep all odors emanating from bag 18 within container 12. Furthermore, with lid 16 in place atop side wall 24 to contain odors, etc., there is little likelihood of precipitation entering container 12 and water collecting atop bottom wall 20.

While trash receptacle 10 has been described with a high degree of particularity, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made to it. For example, container 12 can be outfitted with a number of valves 14 and associated openings 22 located at spaced apart locations around bottom wall 20 to enhance drainage. Furthermore, it may be practical to place a cage or screen above and around each valve 14 to keep debris that may collect on bottom wall 20 from fouling each valve 14. Therefore, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited solely to receptacle 10 described above, but encompasses any and all trash receptacles within the scope of the following claims. 

1. A vented trash receptacle, comprising: an open-topped container having a bottom wall and a side wall extending upwardly from the periphery of said bottom wall, and said bottom wall having an opening therein; a lid being removably positioned atop said side wall; a valve being secured to said bottom wall for closing said opening, said valve including: an anchor being affixed to said bottom wall remote from said opening; and, a float being flexibly tethered to said anchor, said float normally resting upon said bottom wall above said opening so as to selectively prevent the flow of air and water through said opening, and said float being buoyant in water. 